Williams Carbon Bottle Cage Review

It’s just a bottle cage, right? Well, when you boil it down, yes, it is. However, ditching that old-school aluminum bottle cage should be even easier thanks to Williams Cycling. Their carbon bottle cage has been quietly doing its thing, so it’s time to share.

Williams Carbon Bottle Cage Features

Unidirectional Carbon Fiber

Simple Design

Excellent Bottle Retention

Acceptable for Road or MTB use

Weight: 28 grams

Price: $27

Williams Cycling Carbon Bottle Cage Review

I’ve been a laggard when it comes to carbon bits. Cockpits are another story, but carbon bits elsewhere always seemed ticky-tacky and expensive. On top of that, I had thought that the old standard aluminum bottle cages were acceptable. After all, it was just holding my water bottle.

Then I decided I needed to up the look of my cage, lighten things up and step into the modern era, so off I went looking for carbon cages. What I found was sticker shock. $50 or more for a bottle cage?!? I mean, all it does is hold your water bottle, right? And, saving weight with a cage seems silly since you’re going to slap a 24 oz. bottle into it.

After calming down a bit, I remembered Williams Cycling — a direct-to-consumer manufacturer of renowned wheels, saddles, cockpit bits and carbon bottle cages. So, there it was, the Williams Carbon Bottle Cage for only $27. And, tipping the scales at a scant 28 grams, it sits at the bottom end of the weight range. Pulling the trigger was a no-brainer.

With a quick shipment from California to Utah, I was anxious to get it onto my Scott Foil. Installation was a breeze (of course) and it immediately upped the zoot factor of my bike. I know I’m a laggard, but laggard no longer as the Williams Carbon Bottle Cage has transformed me into even more of a carbon aficionado.

Performance of the Williams cage has been superb. Both 16 and 24 oz water bottles stay put and ride snug in place. The cage provides just the right amount of tension on the bottle to give it a secure grip. Not once did I feel as if the bottle was wiggling loose whatsoever.

And, the all-important entry and exit can easily be done without looking — not something I could always do with an aluminum cage. I can easily grab the bottle and return it to the cage blindfolded (don’t try this at home).

I’ve since placed the cage on my Specialized Camber Expert 29 and it works nearly as well. The problem with full-suspension mountain bike frames is the lack of clearance. The Williams cage requires a straight in/out motion and many frames don’t have that kind of room. I can get a 24 oz bottle in/out on my MTB, but it’s not ideal. But, once in place, I have no worries about bottle security. Keep that in mind if you’re going to slap this onto a full-suspension frame.

Good Carbon Cage

Excellent price

Weight is among the lightest on the market

Simple good looks

Allows for “no-look” bottle entry and exit

Bad Carbon Cage

May not have enough cache for the most discerning riders

Due to straight entry, some MTB frames are a tight fit

Bottom Line: Williams Carbon Bottle Cage

At only $27, the Williams Carbon Bottle Cage is priced competitively and with its scant 28 gram weight, it’s also among the lightest on the market. Price and weight aside, this cage is easy-to-use and holds 24 oz bottles with vice-like authority. Williams is no longer a one-trick pony. This cage is awesome.

About Author

A Seattle native, Jason developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 --sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.

1 Comment

28 grams does seem remarkably light for a bottle cage. It probably weighs less than the Camelback bottle attached if it were empty. The next step in obsessive performance: the helium enriched water bottle 🙂